The invention relates to an actively ventilated vehicle seat having a lower air-impermeable seat cushion or backrest part, an intermediate layer arranged on the latter, and through which air flows, and an upholstered cover. The vehicle seat is divided by seams into mutually delimited upholstered zones through which air flows on the side of the intermediate layer.
In the case of an actively ventilated vehicle seat of the type known from German patent document DE 100 24 879 C1, the seams or quiltings are constructed as stitch seams in the air-permeable upholstery cover consisting of a flexible-foam layer and the fabric cover. In this case, the drawing-in depth of the seams is limited to the thickness of the upholstery cover. Moreover, no load-resistant anchoring of the seams on the lower upholstered part is present.
Furthermore, an actively ventilated motor vehicles seat is known from European patent document EP 1 364 827 B1, where the upholstery cover is fastened by way of the intermediate layer, through which the air flows, to the lower upholstered part such that, distributed in the longitudinal direction of the seams, studs are screwed to the lower upholstered part and reach through the intermediate layer. The studs are detachably hooked together with quilting rods pulled into the upholstery cover. Although, as a result, major constrictions of the air-guiding intermediate layer are avoided in the area of the seams, the sitting comfort is considerably impaired by the studs projecting upward beyond the intermediate layer.
Finally, in the case of the vehicle seat of the above-mentioned type known from German patent document DE 101 56 658 C1, in the case of which the intermediate layer, through which the air flows, is divided along the seams into individual sections, which are separated from one another with respect to ventilation, insertion strips in the form of spacing textures are arranged in a sunk manner in the lower seat part and extend in conformance with respect to the length of the seams below the seam-side edge sections of the intermediate layer and act as air bridges between the latter. The seams are produced by pull wires, which extend through the insertion strips and are anchored in the lower seat part. However, the production and arrangement of the air-bridge-forming insertion strips requires increased manufacturing expenditures and, since the insertion strips are compressed in a manner narrowing their cross-section by the active pulling forces of the quilting wires, the air exchange between the individual sections of the intermediate layer may be impaired.
It is an object of the invention to achieve an unhindered seat ventilation and a durably secure fixing of the seams in a manner that is simple with respect to the manufacturing and does not impair the sitting comfort in the case of such an actively ventilated vehicle seat.
According to the invention, an actively ventilated vehicle seat, having a lower air-impermeable seat cushion or backrest part, an intermediate layer through which air flows, and an upholstered cover which, via seams anchored on the lower seat cushion, is divided into mutually delimited upholstery zones. Air bridges extend between the individual upholstery zones transversely to the seams for connecting the intermediate layer. The air bridges are enclosed all around by the air-impermeable seat cushion, and the seams are anchored above the air bridges in the air-impermeable material of the upholstered part covering the air bridges.
According to the invention, the air bridges of the air-guiding intermediate layer are fully enclosed by the air-impermeable material of the upholstered part, and the seams are anchored above the air bridges to wall sections of the upholstered part covering the air bridges. As a result, a durably pull- and slide-resistant fastening of the upholstery cover along the seams is ensured without any stressing of the air bridges in a cross-section-constricting manner by the tension forces resulting from the quilting. This leads to an unhindered air flow through the intermediate layer on the path via the air bridges, while the sitting comfort is simultaneously high in connection with a seat construction that is simple with respect to its manufacturing and remains stable for a long time.
In a further development of the invention preferred with respect to the manufacturing, the air bridges and the intermediate layer are prefabricated as a one-piece blank, specifically normally consisting of a spacing textured material.
For the purpose of a particularly secure fastening of the seams to the air-impermeable seat part, it is recommended to anchor these seams on a seam element which extends continuously along the seams in the air-impermeable part above the air bridges.
The air-impermeable upholstered part preferably consists of a foam material. In order to prevent the foam material from penetrating into the air bridges during the foaming process, which air bridges are surrounded by its flow, and, as a result impairing or even blocking the air guidance in the air bridges, the contact surfaces of the air bridges on the foamed-material side advantageously have a design that is impervious to foam.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.